Ai Shiteru
by Cyane
Summary: YAOI! You've been warned. MirInu. Inuyasha has put himself in a winlose situation. Miroku is looking for absolute love. Two who belong to each other are fighting fate, fighting themselves. CH8 UP! R&R PLEASE!
1. It Starts With A Kiss?

A/N: Hi! This is my first yaoi fic...so I thought I might write it on a couple I totally love! D. Well, I love all couples, but you get my point, ne? Miroku X InuYasha! Please, review, if you don't mind. But whatever, I'm not a great author anyhow. -- Correct me if I screw up. I watched InuYasha long ago and I don't remember all the crap in the doujinshis. Oh yeah, it's PG – 13, but it might go up...depends on my...lustiness. LOL.

Disclaimer: I don't InuYasha, or anything else that I've incorporated in here that's probably been used already. I think the plot has been used already too. sigh If only...YOU WOULD REVIEW.

"....." speech

-.....- thoughts

Chapter 1 – It Starts With A Kiss?

Inhaling. Exhaling. Inhaling. Exhaling. Meditation; something Miroku often practiced. It was in the middle of the night. The group had decided to rest at a village near a hot spring, so everyone could sleep on a real bed and take a real bath. Having eaten his food and waited until everyone was full asleep, Miroku snuck off to the hot spring to be alone and meditate. His guarded purple eyes were softened and his little ponytail was let loose. The bright moon was shining on his wet body, creating a shining illusion.

-What a beautiful night...- he thought, looking upwards at the twinkling stars, the full moon, and the shimmering moon, -Ahh...the moon. It reminds me so much of InuYa...- He paused momentarily. What was he doing? Thinking about InuYasha? He liked women, he was sure of it. Frowning slightly, he resumed to his thoughts. –Such a peaceful time. Even Naraku couldn't ruin this moment. Then again, given this curse, every moment of mine has already been ruined...- Miroku sighed. It was true, that often in the midst of the night, he would be wide awake, staring at his right arm (A/N: I forgot, which hand does he have the Kazaana on?...Is it CALLED the Kazaana?...hehehe.), wondering when would the day finally come, when this unforgivable doing would engulf him as it did to his father. Although it seemed like Miroku was a cheerful spirit, he was depressed a lot. He'd always wanted to father a child, to live a happy family, to be with the ones he loved...like InuYasha.

Miroku snapped out of his thoughts right away, shocked to find that he had once again though of Inu Yasha. It was only normal to think of your best friend though, right? He did love Inu Yasha, in a 'friendly' manner. Or was it more? Miroku shook his head. –If I should think of this matter, I might as well go back. My peace and concentration has shattered anyway. - As he shifted his position to get out of the hot spring, he spotted something. Two glowing amber eyes were staring right at him from behind a bush. –Inu Yasha?- he thought. He watched the two glowing eyes, and the two glowing eyes stared back at him. After a couple more seconds of silent staring, Miroku gave up and decided to call him out.

"I know I'm good looking, but I never knew I was that good looking,' Miroku called out calmly, cocking his head to the side and sitting back in the hot spring. He looked up and smiles softly as he watched the figure slowly emerge from the bushes.

"Keh!" was the soft reply from the Inu demon. Inu Yasha walked closer to the hot spring, wearing his red fire rat robe, and sat on the grass next to the hot spring. His golden eyes were absolutely stunning in the all the darkness. Miroku felt himself lose all conscience as he stared into those protective eyes. Unfortunately, Inu Yasha noticed him doing so.

"What are you staring at bouzo?" growled Inu Yasha. Miroku simply smiled, his purple eyes twinkling devilishly.

"The real question is, what were you staring at, when I was here taking a comforting bath in the hot spring, in all my glory..." drawled Miroku, smirking at the quick change of emotions etched on Inu Yasha's pale face. It looked so smooth, reflecting the moon beam. If he could only raise a hand and stroke it softly...

-Stop- Miroku told himself. This was going too far. It was the third time already. Still, he couldn't help but look up. He noticed Inu Yasha had a faraway look in his face, like he was thinking about something else, totally unaware of Miroku's presence.

-He looks beautiful,- Miroku absentmindedly thought. Inu Yasha's soft silver hair was framing his face, wavering slightly in the mild wind. His long bangs were covering his passionate eyes, but leaving just enough room for Inu Yasha to see around him. His lips were moist and slightly parted. As Miroku was admiring Inu Yasha's beauty, he hadn't noticed that his hand had moved on its own, nearing Inu Yasha's cheek. –It must be so soft and smooth- he mused. With the back of his hand, he lightly stroke Inu Yasha's cheek. When he realized what he was doing, he quickly stopped, but his arm seemed to freeze, unable to go back by Miroku's side. He watched Inu Yasha, expecting him to hit his arm away and call him a 'lecher' and such. Instead, the corners of his lips seemed to tug upwards, resulting in a small and serene smile.

Miroku froze, slowly realizing that Inu Yasha didn't seem to mind. Either that, or he thought Miroku was someone else. OR, he hadn't even seemed to notice it. Miroku reached up again, softly stroking the inu demon's cheek, dragging his fingers on his cheek to his hair, pulling back the foreign strands of hair that had covered Inu Yasha's face. As he continued to softly stroke Inu Yasha's face, he hadn't noticed that Inu Yasha had turned to face him. He quickly stopped, when he realized that Inu Yasha had indeed noticed and was facing him right now!

"Forgive me Inu Yasha. I d-"Miroku was cut off from his apology as soft moist lips collided with his own. Miroku's eyes went wide, as he realized it was Inu Yasha who had kissed him. Inu Yasha's lips were smooth and soft. They tasted like the summer's sweet flower nectar. Even if the consequences of this one kiss might ruin their friendship, Miroku would still hold this moment close to his heart forever. While he was thinking, he felt a tongue run along his bottom lip, pleading for entrance. Miroku parted his lips gently, and as quick as light, they were invaded by Inu Yasha's tongue. His fangs were grazing softly across his bottom lip, while his tongue was roaming all the crevices of Miroku's mouth. Miroku, feeling a little brave, used his own tongue, to push Inu Yasha's tongue out and back into his own, as Miroku pushed his tongue into Inu Yasha's mouth. The battle for dominance began, as their tongues moved around in their locked mouths. Miroku let out a few soft groans, and Inu Yasha purred softly, the two sounds mixing together in between them. When the need of air had overcome the power between their tongues, they broke away, panting heavily. Both their lips were red and their cheeks were a soft shade of pink, making them look absolutely ravishing and vulnerable.

"I...what does this mean?" said Miroku and Inu Yasha in unison.

A/N: DUN DUN DUN!!!! What a horrible cliff hanger! D! Yeah...it's a new story...so...whatever. It's a short chappie! Sorry! I'm workin' on it. Hehe. R&R S'il vous plait!


	2. It Takes Two To Make It Work, Koishi

A/N: I'M BACK. Oh yeah. That didn't take too long now. The key thing is to actually stick to the story and remember to update. It might take a while though. On with the story! Oh, thank you, my reviewers. It's much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I'm sorry, would you like to rub in the fact that I'm NOT famous, I don't OWN anything, and INUYASHA AND MIROKU aren't MINE? Because I think I get the point.

Chapter 2 – It Takes Two To Make It Work, Koishi. (A/N: I like feeling somewhat significant with the use of foreign languages.)

The next morning, the sun wasn't up and the dark clouds crowded over. It looked like it was going to rain, a bad day for traveling. They all decided to stay inside the village, roam around the shops and relax a little. Kagome, Sango and Shippou had gone to the market to look at some presents for Kagome's mother's birthday (A/N: whatever...), while Miroku and InuYasha stayed in the hut.

Miroku was still asleep inside the hut. Inu Yasha was leaning against the side of the hut, watching Miroku sleep. Inhale. Exhale. The movement of Miroku's body as he breathed in and out seemed to keep Inu Yasha watching for some strange reason. His hair hung around his pale face like a curtain, blocking his view only slightly. Inu Yasha's ears pricked up and he cocked his head to the side, as Miroku began to stir in his sleep. Miroku was mumbling something indistinct, something that even InuYasha couldn't pick up with his demon ears. Inu Yasha frowned and silently crawled closer to Miroku's trembling form. Suddenly, Miroku reached his arms up and grabbed Inu Yasha's robe, unconsciously of course. The dog demon's eyes flew wide open and slowly tried to pry the monk's hands off of his robe, but Miroku's hands had a tight grip already.

"Hey you stupid monk, get your hands off me!" whispered Inu Yasha urgently. Although he wasn't intent on waking Miroku up, he wanted to get out of this awkward position. Both of his hands were on either sides of Miroku's head and his hair was on top of his face, moving gently as Miroku continue to groan and mumble in his sleep.

"Inu Yasha........don't leave me...I don't want to be alone...I love...."

"MIROKU WAKE UP DAMNIT!" yelled Inu Yasha, not caring about the listening villagers anymore. He shook Miroku harshly until he finally woke up

"Inu Yasha?" Miroku asked softly. Upon noticing that Inu Yasha didn't seem to realize that he was already awake, he sighed and repeated it again, "INU YASHA!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. You were calling my name when you were asleep..." said Inu Yasha. Then, he suddenly noticed that it was HIS name Miroku was calling, not some other woman's name. He watched Miroku's expression change to something unreadable. It showed more emotion, but a mix of confusion and protection. – I wonder... - thought Inu Yasha. He remembered the...suggestive scene that took place last night by the hot spring. Did it honestly mean something to Miroku? Miroku looked so innocent right now. His dark purple eyes were wide looking everywhere except at Inu Yasha. He was fondling with his robe and his hair was messy in just the cutest places. – Miroku... - thought Inu Yasha. He watched Miroku's lean body under the messy and somewhat revealing robe. The defined chest that was now being more exposed as Miroku turned around in an attempt to hide himself from Inu Yasha. His eyes traveled down Miroku's arm and to his prayer beads which kept the deadly force at bay.

Inu Yasha sighed. Although the Kazaana was a very helpful tool when it came to battle, it would soon bring Miroku to his death. Miroku had joined their little group in the first place only to avenge his father and kill Naraku. At first, people had thought Miroku was just a lecherous monk who had no purpose in life. He had seemed so happy, in fact, too happy. Of course, as time passed, the group had noticed that there was more to him than slyness and happiness. He was often quiet during the night, lost in his own thoughts. Probably thinking about when he would leave this beautiful world. Kagome and Sango had caught Miroku staring at his Kazaana, rolling the prayer beads around his forefinger and thumb. All the walls and masks put up in his eyes came tumbling down, revealing loneliness and depression. There was an enormous amount of regret. Whether it was regretting the fact that he hadn't slayed Naraku, or that he wasn't able to bear a child and be with the one he loved, it was all the same.

Miroku looked up, catching bright amber eyes. Shock passed through him. He looked deeper into those swirling pools of jewels. What was it in Inu Yasha's eyes? Sadness? Compassion? Understanding? Or was it something else? Something that Miroku had only seen when Kagome was caught looking at Inu Yasha fondly. –Love?- the word passed through Miroku's mind, but he shook it off. No. It couldn't be love. Inu Yasha loved Kagome, just like he loved Sango. He did love Sango, didn't he? She was the woman in his dreams. The woman who would bear his child and the woman he would be willing to spend his life with, no matter how short it was.

His train of though was broken as he noticed Inu Yasha shift closer beside him. Subconsciously, he grabbed hold of the knot that held his robes together and looked away. –What am I doing?- Miroku asked himself. But honestly, he had no idea. When had he started acting like this around Inu Yasha? He was sure he wasn't gay. Bisexual, maybe, but he did like woman. That he was sure of. His eyes widened when he felt two strong arms wrap around his waist from behind. Inu Yasha rested on the juncture between his neck and shoulder, softly nipping at Miroku's neck. Simply this had sent shivers up and down Miroku's spine.

"It's okay, Miroku. I'll be here for you, as long as you want me," whispered Inu Yasha, his breath tickling the sensitive skin on Miroku's neck. –He'll be here for me?- Miroku smiled, but was still hesitant in returning any intimate gesture. That action had caused Inu Yasha to frown. Maybe Miroku hadn't thought of Inu Yasha that way. Maybe Inu Yasha had assumed the wrong thing. He slowly began to un-wrap his arms from Miroku's waist, but was stopped by Miroku.

"I thought you were going to be here for me forever, Inu Yasha," said Miroku in a low voice. He leaned backwards against Inu Yasha, sighing contently. –I don't know what this feeling is, but I finally feel content. No matter how short my life will be, at least there will be someone to keep me in their heart forever.- Inu Yasha tightened the embrace and began sucking on Miroku's neck once more. Miroku simple smiled, but Inu Yasha could feel Miroku desperately trying to hold back a moan.

"It takes two to make it work, koishi," Miroku chuckled lightly and grinned. –Koishi?- he thought and felt a warm feeling throughout his body. –Koishi indeed.- He moaned softly, eliciting a small smile from Inu Yasha. They stayed there for a while, until Kagome, Sango and Shippo came back. That would be another problem...

A/N: LALALLA. Horrible! I know. Xx. Anyway. It's not over yet! But whatever! R&R!


	3. Am I Wrong?

Author's Notes: Ahh, I might only update once a day. Like, a chapter a day. I don't know, school kind of gets in the way. I'll try my best though! The more you people review, the faster I'll update and vice versa. I think I'm on writer's block. I'll try to make the chapters longer, but sometimes I just want to get it over with. -- Anyway. On with the story! 3s to my reviewers.

Disclaimer: Yeah yeah yea....I don't want to hear it! 

Chapter 3 – Am I wrong?

Later that evening, the rain had stopped. Everyone began packing, ready to leave the village the next morning. Even if it was going to rain tomorrow, they still needed to move on. Inu Yasha had went off into the woods for some personal time and Miroku saw no need in joining him. Everyone needed personal space. Instead, he sat on a nearby tree trunk, watching Kagome and Sango make the food for tonight.

"Miroku, where's Inu Yasha?" asked Kagome with a slight touch of concern in her tone. Miroku sighed. He knew there would be a time where they would have to Kagome about their relationship. –Am I right to call it a 'relationship'?- Miroku asked himself. It was true that they had mutual feelings, but a confession was still not made. A change in feelings could occur at any given moment. He pondered for a second. Did Miroku really love Inu Yasha? Was this what love was? Being with someone who you know will sacrifice every bit of themselves to save your well being? What if Inu Yasha wasn't even serious? A cruel joke, perhaps?

"Miroku?" Kagome asked, looking at Miroku's guarded expression. He simply snapped out of his thoughts and smiled angelically.

"Oh, I'm sorry Kagome. Inu Yasha's gone into the forest for some personal space," he replied, all the while plastering on a fake content smile. In truth, he was rather worried. Inu Yasha had left during late afternoon and it was almost nightfall. Where could he be?

"Would you like me to go look for him, Kagome?" volunteered Miroku. Kagome nodded silently and turned back to the pot on the fire, fanning the flames. Miroku stood up, dusted his robes, picked up his staff (A/N: staff? I don't know...I always forget certain words when I'm writing stuff. Ignore me) and walked into the woods.

The spring air in between all the trees was absolutely intoxicating. The smell of pine trees, oak trees and other species were all mixed together in a musky nature scent. Miroku looked around, trying to spot an Inu demon wearing a red robe among the calm trees. He continued along the slightly clearer part of the woods, walking deeper and deeper into it. A quiet rustling of leaves was heard behind Miroku, stopping him dead in his tracks. Slowly turning around, he could sense someone watching him. He narrowed his dark purple eyes and looked into the shadowy part of the woods. –Hn, maybe I was just imagining things.-

All of a sudden, a streak of red ran into Miroku and made him land flat on his back. He groaned at the impact of his back with the ground, even though it was soft dirt. Looking up, he saw Inu Yasha stare straight at him, his face emotionless. Miroku didn't know what to think. He simply continued staring at Inu Yasha, waiting for an explanation.

"Did Kagome send you for me?" Inu Yasha questioned softly. His voice was so quiet, it was barely audible. Miroku nodded, but frowned at the same time. What was wrong with Inu Yasha. He had no cheerful tone. In fact, it almost seemed like he didn't care for anything. Miroku cocked his head to the side and pouted slightly.

"Inu Yasha...tell me what's wrong," said Miroku in a quiet voice. It wasn't really a question, more like a demanding statement, only not as persuading. Inu Yasha sighed. It seemed like Miroku had cared so much for him, coming to see if he's alright. Then again, Kagome had sent him, so what if Miroku only came because a woman had asked him to do so? Miroku tried struggling to sit up, but he was stopped by Inu Yasha, grabbing his wrists and pinning them to the ground beside his head. There was only one way to solve this.

"Miroku, do you love me?" demanded Inu Yasha. There was just one choice left, and that was to be straight out with it. Miroku's eyes widened, not at the absolute irrelevancy of the question, but the bluntness of Inu Yasha and the demanding tone as well. Nonetheless, Miroku took in this question and thought for a minute. Did he really love Inu Yasha? It was true, Miroku did want a child. He still did. Even if he did love Inu Yasha, he still wanted to have a child, to live a happy life, a normal man's life. But could Inu Yasha change it? And what about Kagome? Would this hurt her feelings too much and break all friendships with her? –If I love Inu Yasha, I would do anything to be with him, ne?- he thought silently. Perhaps he did. Miroku would indeed do anything he could for Inu Yasha. Even if it was disregarded afterwards, Miroku still cared for him like he would care for his father and mother.

The monk opened his mouth to say 'Yes', but he closed his mouth instead. Yes...it didn't seem like a good enough answer, not for Inu Yasha. An idea popped up and Miroku hid a sly grin. He slowly moved his head upwards, his nose touching Inu Yasha's, their lips barely in an inch apart. Something twinkled in Miroku's eyes as he leaned in even closer.

"I love you..." Miroku purred, leaning in for a chaste kiss, before separating, both of their faces still very close together, "And don't you forget it," he added. Finally, he leaned in for a strong kiss, releasing his wrists from Inu Yasha's grip and wrapping them around his neck, his fingers softly tangling with his hair and running up and down the back of his hand. Inu Yasha, caught by surprise, took a while before registering what had just happened. He smiled against Miroku's lips and wrapped his own arms around Miroku, bringing him into his lap. Miroku's lips tasted like a soft juicy peach on a hot summer afternoon, smooth and refreshing, yet moist and passionate. They went no further, instead, staying in the same position, until the need for air became too great. Miroku pulled back only a little, before resting his head on Inu Yasha's shoulder, breathing in Inu Yasha's strong scent, savouring the smell of his lover.

"What about you?" Miroku asked Inu Yasha. For a moment, he had no idea what Miroku was talking about, but then he understood. –If anyone could make me feel happy, it's Miroku.-

"Hnn. I think I do too," was the gentle reply from Inu Yasha. Miroku felt a surge of happiness pulse through his body, as he nuzzled against his lovers shoulder. He reached up to softly stroke Inu Yasha's cheek again. With the back of his hand, he felt the warmness on the dog demon's face. The pale yet smooth skin. Repeating the same motion over and over, it reminded Miroku of their little acquaintance that night. He smiled at the thought, but quickly frowned.

"What of Kagome?" asked Miroku. He was worried of her reaction. He knew she thought highly of Inu Yasha. Where they wrong to this? It wasn't Inu Yasha's fault though. Miroku started this whole display of affection. But love was something you couldn't control, wasn't it? He looked up at Inu Yasha to find that he too was carefully pondering about it. Miroku raised his head and looked at the setting sun. It was a beautiful sight, a romantic snapshot that could be held forever. But it wasn't as romantic to Miroku. It reminded him too much of the trouble they were in right now. –Is this wrong? Am I wrong?-

A sudden gasp brought both men out of their thoughts.

"Shit," sword Inu Yasha, as both of them looked towards the bushes where a young girl hid, her brown eyes wide, threatening to let the hidden tears loose any minute.

A/N: DUN DUN DUN!!! I think it's an okay cliff hanger...I guess. READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!


	4. Don't Do This To Me

Author's Notes: Hello! People, please review more! I mean, I'll still continue writing, but encourage me more. I won't beg, it's not my kind of thing to do, but I will ask! Meaning, please do give me more reviews. ON WITH THE STORY!

Disclaimer: sigh I really don't want to know about this anymore than I already do.

Chapter 4 – Don't Do This To Me

Inu Yasha dropped his arms from around Miroku's waist and Miroku slided off Inu Yasha's lap, watching Kagome with wide eyes. Inu Yasha turned around lazily and stared straight at Kagome, who stared back. Her face was pale, her lips parched, her clothes were wrinkled and her eyes were wide open. She looked at the two men that had seemed so close just a minute ago with terrified eyes. Was she scared? Or was she shocked, rejected, disappointed? In a way, Inu Yasha felt guilty. He knew how highly she thought of him. He knew how much she adored him.

"Kagome..." called Inu Yasha softly. His voice was carried by the wind, making him sound even more vulnerable. The sudden wind had started blowing harder, whipping Inu Yasha's hair into his face. The woman in question stood up from behind the bush, her big brown eyes watery, a tear stain running down one of her pale cheeks, her long black hair messy and blown all over the place. Inu Yasha had noticed Kagome trembling slightly in her small and slightly skimpy outfit, so he took a step closer to her, trying to say something to persuade her to go back to the hut first.

"Inu Yasha!" yelled Kagome. Before he was even given the time to respond, she had started screaming again. "Inu Yasha! How could you?! I thought you cared about me! I thought you knew how I felt about you! I went all the way out here because I was worried about you! I was afraid that Naraku had come and attacked you! I was afraid that Sesshoumaru had wanted to kill you while you were alone! But no! Out of all the demonic things you could be doing, you had to be with him! Mi-Mi-Miroku! He's a monk! He loves Sango! He doesn't love you! HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU THE WAY I DO!" By now, Kagome's voice was trembling. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, crystal tears rolling down her face, falling to the cold ground. Inu Yasha watched with pity. He stepped forward again, reaching one hand out towards Kagome.

"Kagome I-"

"Inu Yasha! Don't you understand? We could be together! We could've spent the rest of our lives forever! Don't you love me anymore? What makes...what makes HIM so much better than I AM?" spat Kagome. She was frantic. Clearly, she had assumed that Inu Yasha had loved her. At least, if not her, perhaps some other woman, but never a man, much less Miroku.

Miroku sighed, and stood up from his spot. He looked at Kagome with sad eyes, clearly showing distress. He had not wanted it to come to this. It would force Inu Yasha to choose between the two. One of them would end up lonesome and angry forever.

"Kagome...I'm sorry, but I do love Inu Yasha, as much as you do. I know you love him too, but, well, it's not something I can control," Miroku chose his words carefully, no intending to hurt Kagome's feelings anymore.

"MIROKU! How could you do this to me?! You knew how much I liked Inu Yasha! You knew how much I cared about him! You were jealous! Weren't you?! Why did you have to steal him from me?" Kagome snapped. She felt rejected by Inu Yasha but anger for Miroku. In her eyes, Miroku had simply stole Inu Yasha away from her. He was the third person. She wasn't the intruder here. There was no 'love triangle' as far as Kagome was concerned. Inu Yasha loved her and only her! He had to!

Miroku sighed. Obviously, she was taking this a little worse than he expected. He turned to Inu Yasha. He seemed sad and slightly...regretful? –Is he regretting the fact that he ever chose me over Kagome?- thought Miroku. He sighed again. This was too much. He had to put an end to it, even if it meant giving in a little. –Or giving in everything...-

"The course of true love never did run smooth..." whispered Miroku, before bowing slightly and walking out of the woods, his purple and black robes moving against the wind.

Inu Yasha watched Miroku leave the two of them in the forest, until he could not longer see Miroku nor smell his scent. He turned back to Kagome who looked at him with depressed eyes.

"I'm sorry Kagome. I didn't mean for this to happen. I mean, I do love you. But not the way I love Miroku. Not as a lover. You're my best friend, and I don't want to lose someone so important to me," explained Inu Yasha. He hoped Kagome would be more understanding. But instead of what he had assumed would be her reaction, she began to cry even more. He groaned silently. In truth, he had no idea what he should do. It was true; he loved Kagome, but only as a sister. He never saw her as a lover. Maybe at first when Kagome constantly reminded him of Kikyou, but now, she was just one of his close friends. Kikyou was still here, but the Kikyou he fell in love with had died, so he didn't feel any passion for her either.

"Kagome, please...don't do this. Don't make this any more harder than it is..." pleaded Inu Yasha. He looked straight into those bright brown eyes that had once been so cheerful. Now they were full of disappointment, disbelief and betrayal.

"Inu Yasha...just...forget it. Whatever," said Kagome with finality. She stalked out of the woods, her small form trembling as the wind was still quite strong. Inu Yasha shook his head gently and jumped into a tree, watching Kagome until she was out of his view. He looked up at the sky. Unlike last night, there was no moon. There were no stars. The sky wasn't a pure colour. Different shades of black, blue and gray were mixed among the clouds. The twinkling stars and the vibrant moon were far away. The wind had died down, but there was still a cool breeze in the higher branches of the taller trees.

Later, during the midst of the night, Inu Yasha returned back to the camp. He looked to see Kagome curled up in her sleeping bag, her face stained with old tears. –She cried herself to sleep...-he thought morbidly. He turned to look at Miroku, who had positioned himself under a big oak tree, his hands wrapped around his staff and his head hung low. Inu Yasha walked towards Miroku and knelt down, cocking his head to the side, watching Miroku's face and expressions. It was during the night when the masks of everyone had been removed, whether they wanted to or not. Miroku seemed lonely. Rejected. Misunderstood. –This is all my fault...- Inu Yasha blamed the incident on himself, not even considering the fact that Miroku may have had a part in it.

Purple eyes slowly slid open, catching the loving gaze from Inu Yasha in front of him. Miroku smiled.

"It's not your fault Inu Yasha," said Miroku in a soothing voice. He reached his hand up to brush the stray strands of hair that had fallen into the beautiful creature's eyes. He trailed his fingers from the side of his face down to his chin. Looking up at his koishi, he still saw the pain and distress.

"None of us wanted this to happen..." continued Miroku, "But...an incident has risen. You must choose one of us. I won't force you to make any choice you don't want. But remember, no matter who you choose, remember, I'll always be there for you." Inu Yasha gave a small smile. –Miroku.- He was willing to sacrifice so much, for the happiness of everyone else. Still, he frowned. Who was he going to choose? Well, he would obvious choose Miroku, but what about Kagome?

"You know who I would choose...but I just don't know what to do about Kagome," Inu Yasha sighed. He honestly hadn't the slightest clue about this kind of stuff. This was a woman's thing. They always knew how to solve these kinds of romance problems and shit.

Miroku gave that same reassuring smile again. He ran his fingers through the hanyou's hair, feeling the soft texture and watching the light bounce off the silver hair as he moved the strands around. "She needs time; we have time."

Inu Yasha still looked disbelieving. Miroku, shook his head silently and chuckled lightly. Catching a glare from the hanyou, he grinned good-heartedly. Miroku leaned over slowly, placing a soft kiss on Inu Yasha's lips, before withdrawing, leaving his eyes closed for a second, and then opening them slowly.

"Go to sleep Inu Yasha, we're leaving tomorrow," concluded Miroku. Inu Yasha agreed silently and leapt up into the branch above Miroku and curled up, closing his eyes, trying to relax his muscles and forget about what happened today. At the bottom of the tree, Miroku looked up briefly, before sliding his eyes back closed. –Kagome...- he thought as he rested, -Please, don't let this relationship ruin our friendship...please.-

Author's Notes: Not much of a cliff hanger. I admit, I didn't know how to end this chapter, so it kind of dragged on. It's not my best work, sorry! I'll try harder next time. If you review, I'll try even harder next time! It all depends on the amount of reviews I get...!


	5. The Sky Is Blue

A/N: I'm sorry! I know I have updated as quickly as I promised I would, but that was because we had like massive tests over the last week, and I had to finish a shitload of projects. ANYWAY, thank you to my reviewers! Keep on reviewing, and I'll keep on updating! Now, on with Chapter 5

Disclaimer : I KNOW. ON WITH THE FREAKIN' STORY.

Chapter 5 – The Sky Is Blue

The sun rose on the dawn of a pale spring, indicating the start of a new day. Golden rays of light shone through the tree tops, flashing brightly atop of the sleeping faces. A seemingly cheery morning, no? Wrong. For the group, it was still hell. Of course, Sango and Shippou hadn't learned of InuYasha and Miroku's 'relationship', so to speak. Kagome was the first to wake. She didn't catch much sleep, tossing and turning in the middle of the night, the thought of Miroku and InuYasha haunting her dreams. It hadn't turned out to be the happy ending she had pictured in her head. It wasn't the beautiful white wedding. It wasn't the wonderful family they would have together. Never did it even pass through her mind that Miroku was going to enter. If anyone was to interrupt their life, it would be Kikyo.

Kagome sighed and looked up at InuYasha, perched on a branch of a strong oak tree. Then, her eyes trailed down to look at Miroku. She didn't hate him though, never. –However much this hurts, I would never hate either of them,- she thought reassuringly. That didn't mean she would ignore them, anyway. She picked up her belongings and put them in her bag, cleaning up the campsite. –It's a new day. Maybe things will change.- Only, she was hoping that Miroku and InuYasha would act like nothing happened. Perhaps even forget about anything that has happened. Although, no matter how hard she was wishing for it to happen, she knew their 'new found love' was hard to break. The bond was strong. Stronger than the bond that Kagome had thought she once had with InuYasha.

As these morbid thoughts reeled through her mind, a crystalline tear fell from her once bright and cheery brown eyes. Turning away from the two lovers, she quickly wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve. She wouldn't cry, she wouldn't show how weak she was to Inuyasha. She felt herself losing control. Out of the blue, she let out a small sniffle, and quickly attempted to cover it. Sadly, InuYasha's demon ears had picked up that small sound. His ears twitched and his golden orbs snapped open, watching the black haired girl below him. Kagome's shoulders were hunched and her uniform was wrinkled. Obviously, she didn't have a good night. He sighed, looking at her with gentle eyes. This was hard for her, he could tell. His red robe ruffled in the breeze as he jumped down from the branch up in the tree. The soft landing noise caused Kagome to turn around, her puffy eyes staring straight into InuYasha's soft gold ones.

"Kagome..." he whispered gently. He didn't want what had happened last night to repeat itself again, "Are you okay?" She struggled to stop crying, but she couldn't. Falling to the ground, she hugged herself gently. InuYasha was shocked to see this, so he took a step forward, wanting to comfort Kagome. She let out a shaky breath and held her palm out, gesturing him to stay where he was. Shaking her head, she looked up, using all her will to face him.

"No," she began, "it's okay." InuYasha smiled. Kagome could be so determined. He loved her as a sister. But of course, she could never be the person in his life.

"Are you sure?" InuYasha asked, just to double-check. Luckily, she nodded her head. Using the back of her sleeves, she wiped her tears away. Her eyes were still slightly puffy, InuYasha noticed, but at least she was smiling. There were so many things changing and he didn't know whether Kagome would be able to accept the facts. No matter what Kagome was going to say to him, he would never deny that Miroku was his lover anymore. It didn't matter whether they were both men. Generally, most youkai's don't even have defined genders. Kagome didn't belong to this world anyway. This was InuYasha's home. It was his era. Things could be different back then. But he was still glad. It would have been difficult for the whole group to travel together if they were having conflicts.

"As long as you're happy," she whispered, "I'll be happy too." Her soft voice pulled InuYasha from his thoughts. He looked up at her sad but understanding smile. The sky was blue today, Inu Yasha had just noticed. There were no clouds shading the sun from the group. It was just the wonderful sunlight spreading across the cerulean sky.

"I have to get prepared to leave. We're going soon, right?" she asked. This time, she had a little more cheer in her voice. That was already a sign that she was feeling better. InuYasha nodded. He had better go wake up Miroku too. Jumping over to wear his lover was sleeping; he leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the corner of Miroku's lips. InuYasha pulled back a little, watching Miroku's eyelids flutter as he brought himself back to consciousness. His eyes slowly opened. They widened slightly as he found InuYasha's face barely a centimeter away. Staying there for a while, they both stared at each other. Miroku's beautiful purple eyes and InuYasha's captivating golden orbs; truly a perfect match.

A/N: I'm sorry! I know it's short and it didn't have much 'stuff' in it, but I'll try harder next time! I'm just really busy lately. And today I had to move an extra desk into the room because I didn't have enough space. Gah! I have a Chinese test tomorrow too! And Taekwon Do Exam tomorrow night. Lots of stuff! The more you review, the more I'll be encouraged to write more and update faster. Ooh, I might have a Yue/Touya and Draco/Hermione coming out soon! Read and review! THANKS.


	6. Paper Hearts Are Fragile

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, Miroku, the whole anime/manga thing.

Chapter 6 – Paper Hearts Are Fragile

Several weeks had passed since the group left the village. Kagome had sensed 3 shards at a nearby town. The group has successfully claimed 3 more shards with ease. They had decided to settle at a village once again, to relax while they could. Kagome began to unpack the ramen and other food, as Sango unrolled the sleeping bags and helped set up the fire.

"Hey," Kagome suddenly spoke up, breaking the comfortable silence, "Have you ever heard of the holiday called 'Christmas?'" The group glanced at her awkwardly; blank and questioning faces were surrounding Kagome. She sighed. Maybe Christmas wasn't invented yet? "It's this really great holiday where everyone gives each other presents and they set up big trees inside their houses and put all these decorations on the trees and outside their house too. There's this fat guy, called Santa Claus, and he supposedly gives out all the presents to every children. It's awesome! There are so many carols and food and festivity, the streets are all lit with green and red Christmas colours," she explained all in one breath. Taking another look at the rest of the group's faces, she shook her head. "Nevermind. The point is, my family celebrate's Christmas every year, and because you know, it's my favourite holiday and everything, I kind of have to go back to my era for a week or so."

The first to react was the little kitsune.

"Aww!! Don't leave Kagome!! Please?!" begged Shippou, his eyes wide, forming tears in the corner.

She giggled at his cute expression. "Don't worry, I'm not gone forever. Besides, I'll bring you back some candy canes and cookies from our Christmas stash," she replied with a smile. Shippou frowned, but his face lit up quickly when he heard she was going to bring him things back.

"Well, okay…but don't be gone too long!" said Shippou, before he bounced off.

Kagome finally turned her attention to the rest of the group who had stayed unusually silent. This seemed rather awkward coming from a group that generally bustled around, arguing about something.

"Is it okay if I leave for just about a week or so?" she asked, more to Inu Yasha than the rest of the group.

But it was Miroku, who spoke up. "Yes, it should be fine. We did work very hard these past few weeks," he replied with a soft smile. Kagome nodded slightly and returned a smile as well.

"What do you mean we all worked very hard? YOU did NOTHING," Sango retorted, smacking Miroku's head with the back of her hand.

He hissed for a moment, before rubbing the back of his head, "I beg to differ. I obviously tried very hard," he snapped back.

"Yeah right, you were just staring at Inu Yasha's butt while he was fighting," she replied, grinning from ear to ear. Miroku's eyes widened in fear and in embarrassment. His cheeks turned into a bright shade of red and he diverted his attention elsewhere, not wanting to push this certain subject any further. After letting out an unconscious breath that he had been holding, he turned to Sango once more.

"So, you know?" he asked casually.

After a moment of silence, she slowly began to nod her head. "Yes," was all she said. Taking the brief answer as a sign of discomfort, Miroku decided it would be best to be happy with the given reply. He smiled softly. Just thinking about his koibito could lighten up his whole heart.

Nightfall came as everybody had gotten into their respectful places. Sango, Miroku and Kagome were in sleeping bags. The little kitsune was curled up into a tight ball near the fire next to Kagome, just like Kirara was right next to her owner. Inu Yasha had found a comfortable branch way up in a tree next to Miroku's sleeping bag. The whole group was resting the night away peacefully.

Inu Yasha's ears twitched as he sensed something, being the light sleeper he was. His eyes snapped open and he quickly scanned the area. Finding nothing up at this level, he brought his eyes down to search the dark ground below. From a normal mortal's eye, you could not see anything, but Inu Yasha had caught a whiff of something familiar, and his eyes saw a glimpse of red and white that moved quickly into the dark confines of the forest, where the group had chosen to rest.

-Kikyou- was the first thought that came to Inu Yasha's head. Quickly, but quietly, he jumped off his tree and ran swiftly in the direction of Kikyou's scent. Even though she was a dead spirit, she could still move rather fast if she wanted to. He followed her scent deeper into the forest, the moonlight barely reaching into the forest. The dark leaves above were like a big blanket, covering the forest as the trees rested in the night. Finally, he slowed his pace as he felt the scent get stronger and stronger. It was obvious that Kikyou wasn't moving. Clearly, she was expecting him. As he reached the final destination, he saw Kikyou sitting at the trunk of a big oak tree, her eyes closed. She did not look hurt, simply resting.

"Kikyou…" Inu Yasha whispered, just as her empty eyes snapped open, staring holes into Inu Yasha's ember orbs.

Meanwhile, Miroku had stirred from the soft rustling of leaves on the ground. He groaned, rolling over. Slowly, he willed himself to sit up and check if everything was okay. –Everybody's here- he thought as he looked around the fire. He lifted his gaze upwards to the tree were Inu Yasha was and stared silently. He wasn't there. –Scratch that…- he thought, as he got out of his sleeping bag slowly. As he looked around, he frowned.

"Where could he be?" he muttered to himself, and took the path where the leaves were rustled and peace seemed to be unrest.

"Inu Yasha," Kikyou said, as she slowly got up. She walked towards him, her face never changing, and her eyes still emotionless. "I've heard that you fell in love with someone else," she continued, a flash of anger and hurt passing through her eyes, "Fallen for another person. Forgotten…about me?" Inu Yasha drew in a quick breath, and looked away. Sure, he was in love with Miroku and claimed that he had long forgotten about Kikyou, but he never thought of her as an 'obstacle' that would test his love for Miroku.

"Yes, I've found someone else," Inu Yasha bluntly confirmed her assumptions. He was determined to stay loyal to Miroku. Kikyou simply stared straight ahead, seemingly staring right through Inu Yasha as if he were non-existent. She took a step forward. And another. And another.

Right until she was about an inch away from him. She rested her cold palms on his chest and she looked up at him, all void of emotion. "But, you once said that you thought of me every day. You said that you had never forgotten about me," she stated. He opened his mouth to retaliate, but she was quicker. Swiftly, she placed her cold lips on his, all the while resting her hands on his chest. Inu Yasha's eyes were wide open, shocked at what was happening. Yet for some reason, he moved his arms down to wrap them around her thin waist. It was so wrong, but it felt so right.

And behind the bush, Miroku felt a surge of emotions running through his body at once. He closed his eyes in an attempt to wash out all those feelings. Tears began to flow from his eyes as he bit his lip, trying to stop himself from crying. He turned around and walked away, heading back for the village.

-Stupid Miroku- he scolded himself. What was he thinking? How could he take over the position of someone who had held Inu Yasha's heart for over 50 years? He shook his head. No, he was silly to ever assume such a thing. But the tears kept on coming. They were nonstop, consistently flowing down his beautiful face as his heart slowly ripped inside. Miroku stopped a few feet from the rest of the group, sitting next to a strong tree. He wrapped his arms around his knees and hugged himself. Little comfort was given as he could not erase the image of Inu Yasha willingly kissing Kikyou.

-I was never meant to love anyway- he thought bitterly. He looked at his Kazaana. The curse. The stupid curse that had ruined his life countless times before. But this time, it had gone too far. His heart fell to pieces, and there was no one left to pick them up. There was no one there to comfort him and tell him it was alright. He smiled when he thought of the rest of the group. They would surely comfort him and provide him with warmth. But his smile faltered as he again, thought of Inu Yasha. It wouldn't be the same. Miroku was always the one who had captured the hearts of other young women. He had never felt what it was like to be loved. To be submissive to another. He let out a shaky breath and ran his thin fingers through his hair. Love wasn't an easy thing; it wasn't always the fairytale that most people wanted. Despite what he knew, Miroku couldn't bring himself to stop crying, or at least stop thinking about it. Just one little act of betrayal, and Miroku had been shattered. Shattered by the only one who had managed to capture the young monk's heart.

Carefully, he stood up, as he did not trust his body at times like these. He leaned against the tree trunk and wiped the last of his tears with the sleeves of his robe. Quickly, he made his way back to the group and slipped himself into the sleeping back once more. He closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep, only after he whispered softly to himself, "My paper heart is now confetti…"

Author's Notes: THERE! UPDATED! Heh, sorry for the long wait. You know, the whole Christmas thing, I got way into it and I just got really busy and everything. Haha, the little Kagome part about Christmas ACTUALLY has something to do with the whole storry. xD. Yeah, it wasn't a random Christmas spirit spasm from me. Anyway, I made the ending a little longer and I haven't read it over yet…but I might actually do that sometime, so don't be surprised to see me update the same chapter again. xP. Anyway, THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! Keep it up!


	7. Stop Pretending

Disclaimer: Not mine. oo

Chapter 7 – Stop Pretending

"Kikyou…" Inu Yasha whispered as their lips broke apart. He slowly opened his eyes, still mesmerized by the feeling of her lips on his. Suddenly, he realized the situation and he let go of her, backing away. "No," he muttered, more towards himself than to her. "No," he repeated, louder this time, "I can't do this. You trapped me in a tree, you told me that you hate me, you wanted to kill me. What do you want from me?" Kikyou stood, emotionless.

"I-"she began, but was abruptly cut off.

"I gave you a second chance and you tried to kill me. I'm sorry, but the Kikyou I fell in love with 50 years ago is already dead," he said, signaling that that was the end of the conversation. Before she could say anything back, he had already turned around and left, leaving her there to sort out her thoughts.

"So be it, Inu Yasha," she whispered, her voice expressionless, clearly reflecting what she now felt inside; cold and empty. She let herself be consumed in the darkness, feeling herself disappear and her spirit carry on to where-ever the wind blew her.

Inu Yasha marched back to the camp, growling softly at how stupid he was to fall for Kikyou again. But this had happened before. Kikyou had come at the most random of times and pulled Inu Yasha from his partially peaceful slumber. She would say sweet nothings to him, and at the same time her heart would be planning his demise. Inu Yasha was a fool, a fool for falling into the same trap over and over again. He berated himself, giving himself a personal memo to forget about Kikyou. What he had told her was true, the Kikyou he had once loved no longer exists on this Earth. This was only a Kikyou look alike with a body made of dirt, surviving on the souls of the dead. Silently, Inu Yasha jumped back up into the tree and drifted off to sleep. He really needed his rest after all that thinking.

Everybody awoke to a cloudy gray sky the next morning. The group had packed lightly, walking with Kagome to the well and bidding a short farewell. When the remaining group members went back to the camp, Sango noticed Miroku acting rather quiet. Inu Yasha had realized that too, sending worried glances to Miroku every now and then. Miroku, the one who was being worried for, seemed not to notice as he was too wrapped up in own thoughts. His mind still wandered back to the scene that had happened the night before, playing over and over in his head, refusing to stop. He growled softly, half at what had happened, and half at how stupid he was for still caring about it.

Once they had all settled down, Inu Yasha decided to talk to Miroku. Something was obviously bothering him and Inu Yasha wanted to find out what exactly. He slowly made his way over to him, careful not to be too intruding. Lifting one arm up, he tapped Miroku's shoulder gently.

"Hey, Miroku?" Inu Yasha asked softly. Miroku's expressionless face turned to look at him. Inu Yasha was slightly taken aback at how guarded Miroku's eyes seemed, but continued anyway. "Can we talk? Um, in private?" he questioned again, almost faltering because Miroku's eyes were so different, it was almost frightening.

"Sure," Miroku replied, and made a move to get up. He walked into the forest, knowing that Inu Yasha would follow him. The two of them made their way deeper into the woods. There, Miroku sat down once more, waiting to hear what Inu Yasha had to say. Inu Yasha took a seat beside him and looked at Miroku anxiously.

"What's been bothering you?" Inu Yasha asked, slightly unsure of how to handle this situation. Shakily, he brought his hand up slowly, in an attempt to cup Miroku's face in his hand. Before his pale hand reached its destination, Miroku had swapped it away. A little shocked, Inu Yasha whipped his head around, sending Miroku a questioning look. Not wanting to meet his eyes, Miroku turned away, finding a pile of leaves on the ground much more fascinating.

"Tell me, what's up with you?" Inu Yasha asked, a little harsher this time. He got up and crouched in front of Miroku, whose head was still lowered, his gaze yet again staring at the pile of leaves.

"Inu Yasha," Miroku began, his voice barely above a whisper, "This isn't going to work." When he looked up, he met Inu Yasha's shocked yet hurt look. Miroku was about to soften up to Inu Yasha's sad look, until he was quickly reminded of the unfortunate event that had happened the previous night. Quickly, he glared at Inu Yasha. It's not Miroku's fault that Inu Yasha still loved Kikyou, right? It's not Miroku's fault that he felt someone betrayed, watching the one he loved kiss another person, right? So technically, Miroku had every right to be mad at Inu Yasha. He couldn't help that he was hurt.

"And why not?" Inu Yasha quickly asked back, his voice shaking. What had he done wrong? Nothing had happened between them. They had been at the campsite for these past two days. Then it hit him. Maybe, just maybe, Miroku had seen Inu Yasha and Kikyou in the woods and-

Oh God. Inu Yasha's eyes widened in fear. Taking this as a sign of realization, Miroku stood up swiftly, startling Inu Yasha.

"Yeah, now you remember. But I bet you'll never know how it felt, will you?" he said bitterly, "Well, you should be happy now right? You can have Kikyou all to yourself. There's not going to be anyone in the way." And with that, he began to stalk out of the woods. Sensing Miroku leaving, Inu Yasha jumped up and grabbed Miroku's wrist, pulling him back.

"No! Listen to me! I d-" Inu Yasha tried explaining, but Miroku was faster. He pulled his wrist out of Inu Yasha's grip with more power than Inu Yasha expected Miroku to possess.

"Look, I don't want to hear it. You know what you did and I, regretfully, do as well. I was never meant to love anyway," Miroku quipped, his hand gripping his Kazaana in an almost torturous way. "This curse, has been passed down from generations and generations. It's ruined everything that I wished I could have as a normal man. And now it's ruined this relationship. I don't care anymore. You are nothing but a battle partner to me now," he spat, leaving a stunned Inu Yasha in the middle of the clearing in the forest. Miroku walked quickly out of the forest, careful not to stumble. His eyes were welling up with tears. He can't let Inu Yasha see how much it had hurt him. How much it had pained him.

"God, I wish he'd just stop pretending," Miroku mumbled to himself as he slowed his pace. He didn't hear Inu Yasha's foot steps, so he didn't have to flee for his life. "It hurts to know that he's in love with someone else, but it hurts even more to know that he's lying." He sighed, slumping on a tree. The sky was still a bland colour, the clouds lacked of their normally exuberant colour and fluffiness. It was a gloomy day, bringing most people's energy down. Yet for this young monk, today matched his heart completely.

A/N: Ano, this is my belated Christmas and Happy New Year's gift to you? A little short, but I tried my best-ish. T.T. Ahh, KEEP ON REVIEWING AND I'LL UPDATE FASTER, NE? Oooh, might be some new fanfics coming from me soon, so give them a try too. Even though it might not be about Inu Yasha, or the rest of the anime people for that matter.


	8. Teardrops Raindrops

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.

A/N notes at bottom

Chapter 8 – Teardrops. Raindrops.

The group stayed there, awaiting Kagome's return from the well. Normally, waiting for the woman to come back wasn't such a difficult task. It gave everybody else a chance to sit down and relax, polish up their weapons and just forget about Naraku. However, today proved to be extremely trying. Sango was the first to notice the tension between Inu Yasha and Miroku. _How can they be in a fight already? _Sango pondered. Miroku had told her about their relationship not long ago. _Men._ Whether in love or not, they were still ignorant little snobs, unaware of each others feelings. Still, she couldn't help but let her eyes flicker from the hanyou to the monk.

Miroku had thought he was avoiding Inu Yasha in the best way possible. Hell, he was sitting here meditating. It was a monk thing to do, wasn't it? And meditating required focus and concentration, therefore company wasn't wanted. So why did he catch worried glances from Sango every now and then? His lips twitched slightly, trying not to show that he was frowning. He didn't want the hanyou to know that Miroku was faking his meditation. _Inuyasha…_

The name was like a catalyst, triggering the block, opening it and releasing all the images from last nights incident. The monk had always found himself emotionally strong. If he could accept his fate with the wind tunnel, why the hell couldn't he deal with Inuyasha?

Sango looked up from her spot next to the well and watched the monk again. He tensed slightly, and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Sango, and she saw him tense, before relaxing only a bit. A familiar smile crawled its way back to his lips. But Sango knew. Sango watched Miroku more than she would've liked to admit. Miroku kept everything in his eyes. She would often catch him looking out into the distance with a blank look on his face. The emptiness. It was terrifying. Yet the intensity held in his eyes was even more so.

And somewhere inside Miroku's mind told him that smiling was useless because she could see right through him. Instead of wearing his mask, he dropped his gaze, before abruptly standing up and stalking into the forest. The trail was dimmed by the looming trees, creating shadows that moved swiftly with the wind. The sun was still hidden behind the clouds. As Miroku strolled deeper into the forest, he vaguely wondered why he was heading in this direction.

_Snap._

Someone's following him. He sincerely hoped it wasn't Inuyasha, he had no intention of speaking to him today. In fact, perhaps it would be better if he never talked to Inuyasha again. He took a couple of steps and stopped. A quiet shuffle was heard just before whoever the stalker was, had stopped.

_Damnit. _He cursed silently, while wondering if it was a demon that was following him. _Damn it all!_ All of a sudden, there was a ruffle of leaves and the squawking of birds, before they all took off, flying high into the sky. Miroku hadn't meant to say that last bit out loud, but his emotions took the better of him. Raising his hands towards his head, he rubbed his temples, trying to remove the headache, and pretty much everything else. Miroku slumped on a nearby tree. He let out an audible sigh and dropped his weight to the floor in a sitting position. Images reeled through his mind, but he tried to force them out.

"Monk?" A soft voice broke the returning silence.

He opened his eyes, gazing upwards at the woman in front of him. "Sango?" he asked.

She nodded. Seeing the question in his eyes, she automatically answered. "I follow you here, because I was worried about you." Shrugging a little, she began to feel a little uncomfortable. That feeling had failed to go away when Miroku stood up, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I know this is something you probably don't want to talk about, but did you and Inuyasha have a fight last night?"

He nodded, but said nothing.

"I see. Well, what happened?" The only thing more unnerving than this silence Miroku was offering were his eyes boring into hers. She tried breaking away from the gaze, but couldn't. There was something about looking into his eyes that made her feel immobile, that made her scared.

Miroku disregarded the question and took one of Sango's hands.

Her eyes widened at the sudden movement, and then it was replaced with anger. "I'm trying to ask you a question here! Don't try to lecher your way out of this! I want to hear the damned truth!"

The staring contest began. Sango half expected Miroku to suddenly reach out and grab, well, _touch_ parts of her body that was inappropriate. What she didn't expect was Miroku using his free hand to grab her head and pull her into a kiss. A kiss which didn't involve anything perverted. Obviously, Sango's eyes had widened in shock, trying to find something on Miroku's face that told her he was joking or just being a stupid pervert, ANYTHING like that. His eyes were closed tightly and his whole body was tense.

Despite her inner conflict about whether kissing Miroku was right or wrong, she had to admit, it felt nice. It felt nice to have his lips on hers. The velvety feeling along with the force Miroku pressed on her own lips. But it was a kiss. A simple kiss with emotions that were not meant for someone like him. He was a man who should have a happy life, a happy family, everything for him should be happy.

Miroku poured everything into that kiss. Seeing Inuyasha betray him for someone who died 50 years ago, listening to Inuyasha lie, watching him trying to come up with some excuse; it all hurt too much. Things weren't supposed to be this way. Hadn't he found true love? Hadn't he found his 'mate'? What in God's name happened? Why was he cursed? Not only in his hand, but in everything. Was it supposed to be like this? Was he destined to be like this?

Sango still savoured the kiss, simple as it was. However, the simplicity was erased when she tasted a salty liquid on Miroku's lips. _Are those tears? My God, is he crying?_ Sango was quite sure that she hadn't been tearing, she couldn't think of a good enough reason to do so. Using both her hands, she pushed him away from her, eyes round as hell as she saw the tear stains on his beautiful face, tainting the porcelain beauty in front of her.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have, it was low of me," Miroku whispered, choking on his own words

Sango shook her head and dismissed the kiss as unimportant. "What's wrong?"

His eyes were suddenly blank. "Nothing." Lie.

"Miroku, what's wrong?" She pressed. She wanted to know what the hell made Miroku, out of all people, cry.

"Nothing." Stiff reply. Lie.

Something snapped inside Sango. Why didn't he trust her? "Tell me, before I'm forced to hurt you." She hadn't intended to _threaten_ him into telling her, but she was a woman on a mission.

And then a teardrop fell from the sky, skidding across her cheek. She looked up and saw the gray clouds above her, starting to release the water they accumulated. By the time she returned her gaze to Miroku, his face was already wet, his clothing was dotted with raindrops. Quickly, it became a drenched piece of cloth, hanging heavily on Miroku.

Sango walked back to Miroku and pulled him into a hug. His hands were limp, emotionless…dead. She let out a shaky breath and whispered softly into his ear. "Miroku…I know something's wrong. Tell me…please. Because…" she paused, wondering if there was an easier and not so direct way to say it. However, her brain was failing her, so she was left no choice. "Because…" she continued, "I love you, Miroku. I know I don't belong in your life, that's why I want to put you in my life."

Miroku bit his lip. What about Inuyasha? He knew that the hanyou loved him. _But he loves Kikyou too. _Miroku had never fallen in love, but he knew he wasn't ready for such complicated things. He wanted absolute love, true love, only love. And he though Inuyasha could give him that. _He'll get over it,_ he thought bitterly, _He has Kikyou. _Resolved, Miroku wrapped his arms tightly around Sango's waist. For the first time today, Miroku felt peaceful, as peaceful as his tangled heart would let him be. He let his tears fall free, open to the world, but hidden behind the tears that the clouds shed.

But somewhere deep inside his heard told him that tonight was far from peaceful.

A/N: WOAH! Haha, guess what? I'M BACK! Yeah yeah, longest pause ever, but I hope you guys will still read it! I know it's not that good, but it's long, kind of. Well, longer than the last chapter, heh. Please keep reviewing! I'll try to update more, since it's almost the holidays, I'll have time! I hope you guys don't get mad at me for shoving in a little Sango x Miroku. It's all for the sake of Inuyasha and Miroku, remember that. XD. DON'T FLAME ME. Constructive criticism is welcomed.


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